" I am cut to the brains

May 23, 2012

New van Gogh exhibit

Van Gogh: Up Close - Organized by the National Gallery of Canada and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Opens at the National Gallery of Canada Until September 3, 2012

January 02, 2012

Sugar Ray Robinson: Bright Lights and Dark Shadows

An excellent biography of one of the two greatest prizefighters of all time.




A profile of the man considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time includes film clips and interviews with Jake LaMotta, journalist Nigel Collins, wife Edna Mae Robinson and son Ray Robinson Jr. The original score was composed and performed by Wynton Marsalis...

July 11, 2011

The Eyes of Van Gogh

I am very pleased to announce that my film, The Eyes of Van Gogh, has just completed a five year distribution deal with China.  With prior deals for Hong Kong and Taiwan that just about covers southeast Asia.


 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460789/combined

June 30, 2011

June 25, 2011

Burzynski Movie subscribers

June 24, 2011


Screening June 26, 2011 - Ridgefield, CT:
This Sunday June 26, 2011 at 6:30PM "Burzynski, the Movie" will screen at the Ridgefield Playhouse as part of their Documentary Film Series.

Director Eric Merola, Dr. Greg Burzynski (Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski's son), and lung, liver and adrenal cancer survivor Kelsey Hill and her mother Sarah (who are featured in the documentary) will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
80 East Ridge Ave. Ridgfield, CT 06877. For tickets call (203) 438-5795

FREE Screening June 26, 2011 - Frankfort, Michigan
Also this Sunday June 26th at 1PM "Burzynski, the Movie" will screen for free at 1:00 PM. Doors open at 12:30 PM.
For more info: marti.jeffs@yahoo.com • (231) 357-0864
Results from free online viewing: Since we placed this documentary online for free on June 10, 2011, it has been viewed over 500,000 times and still growing. Both Mr. Merola and The Burzynski Clinic have received hundreds of emails and inquiries into both this story and Burzynski's treatment itself. Although we only intended it to be a limited free release, due to high demand we are leaving it online for free until further notice. The first step in this fight is mass awareness, once we have a large enough percentage of the population willing to stand up and demand the release of these medicines for worldwide public use—a force for change can occur. The 500,000 online views in merely 2 weeks is a great start so far. This fight is just getting started. Please keep emailing the free link to the film and spreading the word! (Some people emailed about having trouble viewing the film online, this is also the direct ink to the film: http://vimeo.com/24821365

June 14, 2011

Synetic Theater

I have the greatest admiration for this company.  Brilliant, beautiful theatre.  Go.

The Great Cancer Hoax: The Brilliant Cure the FDA Tried Their Best to Shut Down...

I urge anyone who has cancer or has a friend or relative with cancer to see this film. I've read every book written on Dr. Burzynski and there is no question that the man is a brilliant pioneer in the treatment of cancer. For those who trust the government, the F.D.A., or the drug companies re: medical care, you're in for a very rude awakening.

Go to Dr. Mercola's website for Sat. 6/11 and hit 'The great cancer hoax' and then watch the movie for free through 6/20. The title is 'Burzynski: The movie'. Tell everyone you know about it.  http://vimeo.com/24821365

Burzynski the Movie tells the story of Polish doctor Stanislaw Burzynski, who developed the gene-targeted cancer treatment method using antineoplastons.

April 30, 2011

King Lear

I congratulate Paata Tsikurishvili on a brilliantly reimagined King Lear along with the splendid Synetic theatre company.  Bravo.

April 09, 2011

Putin: Freedom Fighter

It’s so refreshing and enlightening to have Putin (that great humanitarian and human rights advocate) weigh in on NATO’s action in Libya. This is the man who has carried out atrocities in Chechnya. This is the man who has had political enemies either murdered or imprisoned. This is the man who called the breakup of the Soviet Union the greatest tragedy of the 20th century. Yes, greater than the genocides committed b the Turks against the Armenians, the Nazis and East Europeans against the Jews, gypsies, gays, etc; the slaughter of 1/5 of the Cambodian people by Pol Pot; the decimation of over 800,000 Tutsis by the Hutus; the murder of millions in the Congo; the starvation of millions of Chinese by the loathsome Chinese communists and, closer to home, the murder of countless millions in Russia and neighboring areas by Stalin, a man whom Putin has spoken of with admiration; the rape and slaughter by the Japanese in Nanking. Unfortunately, the list goes on and on.


I, for one, hope that the rebels in Libya prevail and that Gaddafi, his sons, and all his supporters are totally eliminated. I don’t, for a second, believe in an afterlife, but if there were one, I would passionately hope that Gaddafi and his forenamed brothers in horrors find a special, reserved place. We can dream, can’t we?

March 19, 2011

UN Action on Libya. Finally.

Finally, after Rwanda, Darfur and the inexcusable delay in Bosnia and Croatia, the UN has voted to intervene and stop the slaughter of innocent people in Libya.

Amazing. Even Russia and China, who never saw a situation that justified foreign intervention, abstained but did not vote against it.

Finally we can act by principle and not some feel good barometer and not by a balance sheet consideration. This is the chance for the US to fundamentally reorder, at last, its relations with key Arab states.

We have the chance to support both the government and the democratic movements erupting throughout the Middle East. We have the chance, for the first time, to change the narrative, fundamentally, throughout this area and hopefully throughout Africa. Perhaps we can show, finally, that we can practice what we preach.

Even Al Jazeera and the Arab League (another first) support a no-fly zone and arms for the rebels. There are many who say the slaughter of the rebels is very unfortunate but we must be purely objective. To that I say, “Never at the expense of being human.” If we lose our humanity what do we possibly have left of any value?

“Responsibility to protect”, adopted by the UN in 2005 and affirmed by the Obama administration stresses the responsibility of the international community to protect people threatened with mass atrocities including by their own government.

Remember, we’re not talking about troops on the ground, we’re talking about a no-fly zone and, if they keep on attacking (and there has, as yet, been no let up) the destruction of all government armed vehicles.

Some of the arguments against it are: “If a civilian population takes up arms they should no longer be considered civilians. Gaddafi has every right to reign his country back in.” This is nonsense. Civilians took up arms only after many were killed by Gaddafi’s thugs.

“Intervention will violate Libya’s sovereignty. As soon as intervention begins the Libyan people will start to lost control of their own county and future.” That sacred word of the non-interventionists: Sovereignty. Totally flawed reasoning. When you threaten and kill your own people then you have given up the right to call this your country. The whole point is the Libyan people don’t have control of their own country. That control rests with Gaddafi and his hired killers. The Libyan people want to take it away from them. Human life trumps sovereignty.

“No-fly zones and supplying arms will not be able to halt the conflict and will lead to more bloodshed, not less.” The fact is, one of the key reasons the rebels have been losing this war is the air supremacy of Gaddafi. It is ludicrous to think that a no-fly zone will lead to the loss of more life that allowing Gaddafi a free hand would. If he prevails by using jets, tanks and gunships, there will be a terrible settling of scores. He has sworn that he will exterminate every single rebel fighter and supporter.

If you don’t believe it, you haven’t’ followed Gaddafi’s past actions (one of the biggest supporters of international terrorism, Lockerbie bombing, etc. Or you’ve been living in a cave for the past 41 years.)

“We have no obligation nor owe anything to the rebels opposing Gaddafi.” Dead wrong. We helped (along with Europe) to enable this monster, Gaddafi, over the past 41 years. So we cannot just avert our gaze and wash our hands.

“A justly motivated revolutionary movement doesn’t need outside assistance to prevail.” Oh, really. Without Frances’s help it is highly unlikely we would have prevailed against the British.

“This is like the invasion of Iraq repeating itself.” Wrong. That was an illegal bombing and an illegal invasion. Here, the international community has spoken and through the UN Security Council a no-fly zone is clearly what is wanted by the majority of rebel fighters and the Libyan people. Therefore no self-determination issue exists.

In the 90s, when the Rwanda massacre was on the verge of beginning, Clinton, Annan and the UN and Europe did nothing and after the massacre started, still did nothing. Like today, there were many people who said we shouldn’t get involved. Of course, after the numbers were released, 800,000 to one million murdered, they became very quiet. When the slaughter started in Bosnia and Croatia, the same protest against involvement. And of course, most recently, Darfur. Over 350,000 killed by Bashir and his thugs. I spent four years working for the “Save Darfur” movement and we tried desperately to enact, at the least, a no-fly zone, all to no avail. Many of the same people are against the no-fly zone in Libya. They were wrong then and they are wrong now. I am convinced they will never change.

The Libyan people are demanding the right to choose their own destiny. They do not want foreign troops on their soil. They just want us to level the playing field. Without this their struggle is doomed. If we don’t act to stop the killing in Libya, how can the US and Europe credibly encourage the Egyptian military to hold free and fair elections, push for commitments for non-violence by new political parties and convince the Arab autocrats to reform? Inaction is a statement to all brutal regimes.

March 15, 2011

Black Leaders: Their Romance With Qaddafi and Other Dictators

This is one of the finest and most intelligent articles ever written on this extremely important topic.

Join the 2011 Boycott to Save Seals

Please write to the Canadian government and tell them you are boycotting Canadian seafood until they stop this barbaric practice. It's been going on for years and it must be stopped once and for all.

March 08, 2011

The Tracer

Congrats to Francisco Campos-Lopez and Greg Hess whose short film, The Tracer, just won BEST PICTURE and BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY for the DC 48 Hour Go Green competition. I'm pleased to have been part of it.

February 07, 2011

Egyptian Heroine

This is a video made by a young Egyptian woman which is being credited as the spark that ignited the Revolution. The young woman is Asmaa Mahfouz. Asmaa’s bravery to put her name, number and face on the video is extraordinary considering the terrifying risk of retribution from the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior. She is a 26 year old human rights activist, and one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement.
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January 17, 2011

New Film Poster


A new poster has been designed for my feature film The Eyes of Van Gogh. I hope you like it.

December 21, 2010

A Sense of Outrage

This is a must read. A great piece by a great lady about an outstanding man. If it hadn't been for Holbrooke we never would have intevened in Bosnia. Clinton had to be dragged into it. If it had been solely left to him he would have done what he did in Rawanda. Nothing. And of course the cowardly Europeans stood by and did nothing. Par for the course. One of the greatest tragedies in our world today is the lack of a sense of outrage. Holbrooke had it and so does Ms. Amanpour. There are still a few left.

December 20, 2010

No danger from Wikileaks

Julian Assange claims, unequivocally, that no one's life has been put in danger by the release of all the transcripts. Okay, fine. I'm just very curious, how does he know this? I just assume that if he's certain of this he must have read all 250,000 plus transcripts. Or perhaps the private who gave him the transcripts read all of them and assured Assange that no one was put in danger. I would also assume that both of them are familiar with all the people mentioned and the particular work they do and again are quite certain that none of them have been put in danger. Just curious.

Cross-posted to Salon.com

December 06, 2010

The Eyes of Van Gogh

I am so pleased to announce that my film, The Eyes of Van Gogh, has been picked up by Unicorn Entertainment International LTD., in a 5-year distribution deal for Hong Kong. My thanks to Sales Agent Wonderphil Productions.

November 03, 2010

The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal

What can one man do to improve the human condition and to make a positive difference in the world? I urge anyone who has asked this question to see, 'I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN YOU' [ The life and legacy of Simon Weisenthal]. After viewing it, ask yourself what would have happened , or better, what wouldn't have happened, ...if this man had not survived the war.See More

The Passion of Joan of Arc

I cannot recommend this film from Theodore Dreyer too highly. It is a cinematic feast. You can watch it instantly on Netflix.

October 20, 2010

Nobel Peace Prize

I am so pleased to learn that Chinese prisoner of conscience Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Liu is a writer and human rights defender who was chosen by the Nobel Committee for "his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China."

It has been a long time since the committee honored someone for a profound commitment to individual liberty.

July 30, 2010

In whose world is this sane?

Just consider the implications of the last line in this quote from the article.

Meanwhile, those exploding budgets increasingly line the coffers of private firms who provide not only an arsenal of spy gadgets, but some 30 percent of the staff at the intelligence agencies. Assuming that private contracts continue to account for about 70 percent of the intelligence budget, the firms in the secret sector are competing for some $50 billion annually in tax money. (By way of comparison, the global movie industry pulled in a hair under $30 billion in 2009.)

I hope you'll read the article and pass it along.

July 08, 2010

Othello

I congratulate the Synetic Theater Company on a brilliantly conceived and performed movement adaptation of Othello. Bravo.

June 16, 2010

Killing Whales is a Crime

I urge everyone to contact the president and tell him to make the moratorium on the killing of whales stronger not weaker. If we can't keep from killing these magnificent, incredibly intelligent and peace loving creatures how can we ever keep from killing our own? Ultimately we must outlaw commercial whaling. Amazingly the president and his people are going in the opposite direction. Please make your voice heard.

Gulf Oil Spill

I recommend this very intelligent commentary from the Cato Institue senior fellow Gerald P. O'Driscoll Jr. on the Gulf Spill, the Financial Crisis and Government Failure.

April 14, 2010

Lear Seeks Liberation in Madness - A rebuttal

In regard to the character of King Lear, Stacy Keach says, ‘In Lear’s case, the decision to enter into the world of madness liberated him from the painful realities before him.’
This cannot be the King Lear I’m familiar with. The main quality that gives Lear epic status is his implacable nature and total refusal to give in to adversity. Lear has always taken huge pride in his total control of himself and everyone around him.
Note what Kent says to him in 3/6 after his mind is broken: ’ O pity! Sir, where is the patience now
That you so oft have boasted to retain?’
For Lear, the idea of going mad would be the most atrocious thing imaginable and his greatest battle is against encroaching madness.
Note what he says throughout the play until his mind cracks:
1/5 ’ O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!’
2/4 ’ I prithee daughter, do not make me mad…."
‘You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need…'
'O’ fool, I shall go mad.'
3/2 ‘No I will be the pattern of all patience. I will say nothing.’
‘My wits begin to turn.’
3/4 'But I will punish home! No, I will weep no more….'
'Pour on I will endure.’
'O,that way madness lies; let me shun that.'
'No more of that.’ ‘This tempest will not give me leave to ponder on things would hurt me more.’
This is most definitely not a man seeking an outlet in madness . One final thought. The scene at Dover, 3/6, where Lear enters mad is invariably played quietly, as though he were soothed and free of pain. Shakespeare had something very different in mind. Near the end of the scene, when Lear is surrounded by French soldiers he says, in what to me is one of the most powerfully dramatic and horrific lines in all of Shakespeare: 'Let me have surgeons; I am cut to the brains.’
That line is the key to Lear’s mental condition here. Rather than quiet and subdued, throughout the scene Lear is going through the torments of hell. Anything less is a betrayel of the character.

cross-posted to DC Theatre Scene

April 06, 2010

April 02, 2010

Thank you all

I'd like to thank all of you on LinkedIn who took the time to comment on the trailer for my film The Eyes of Van Gogh.

Group: Film Independent
What a wonderful and inspired portrayal of a troubled mind! Posted by Stanley N. Lozowski

Group: Film Independent
Congratulations on the new film. I am a Van Gogh fan so the topic matter is of much interest. I have a screening room in New Mexico and would love to show your film. Posted by Kenneth Segura Knoll

Group: DC Media
Excellent hair and makeup! Captured Von Gogh's self-portrait look. Perhaps you'd consider a voiceover like the one I did for Random House Books?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdT8S0RT9Qk

Group: DC Media
Looks like an awesome film, Alexander! When will it premiere? Posted by Katherine Hutt

Group: Filmmakers
The trailer looks excellent and from what I see the performances are great. Let us know if we can be of any assistance in the musical score department on any future productions----Good Luck, Brad Hord

Group: Media & Entertainment Professionals
Cool trailer, the man playing Van Gogh looks just like him! Good LUCK!Mike E.T.
http://www.miketrapp.com Posted by Michael Trapp


Group: Independent Filmmakers and Screenwriters
Looks very intense and I like its tone when compared to, "Lust for Life". Posted by Brian Duggan

Group: Actors and Casting Directors
Impressive. Nicely done, Alexander! Posted by Lee Armstrong

Group: Actors and Casting Directors
Wow, that was hard to watch. You captured a lifetime in Three minutes, can't wait for the film. Posted by Paul Marshall

Group: Actors and Casting Directors
Looks good. Great job casting! Posted by Tony Folden

March 25, 2010

Assault on the Fourth Amendment

I saw this film at the Cato Institute. It was written and produced by interns who had worked there. Not only is the film hugely important for civil rights, but is expertly produced, cast and directed. Please give the film and the group exposure.

March 12, 2010

Women as Tools of War

The article by Mr. Goldberg is excellent. The response is frightening and yet totally predictable. I have done enormous research re atrocities committed against women, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The statistics are horrific and quite accurate. Rape and the enslavement of women are being used as a tools of war throughout the world. Women are being treated like road kill. Unfortunately this has been true throughout history and the problem has gotten progressively worse. For those sceptics, I invite them to check out what's happening now in The Republic Of the Congo and then research the practice of honor killings and the murder of female babys and genital mutilation of women and the enormous slave trade in women (which by the way would never survive without all the customers from the so-called civilized countries like the U.S. Japan, England, France, etc.) Check out what the Japanese did to the Chinese women in Nanking and what the Serbs did in Bosnia and what the Russians did to the German women near the end of World War 11. In Bosnia and herzegovina over 70000 women and girls were raped by the Serbs, often in front of their parents, many as young as 12 or 13. Scores of them were killed, their bodies dumped like garbage. In Africa as in most other third world countries men reign supreme. Women are not committing any of these atrocities: Men are. Cross posted to the Chigago Tribune.

February 21, 2010

Exploring King Lear

King Lear is Shakespeare's greatest play and very likely the greatest work in all of English literature: Its themes are of the most profound nature -- self realization; the myth of universal justice; fortuitousness in the battle between good and evil; the nature of evil. First and foremost Lear is a fighter and never gives in to adversity. In any production of King Lear we must see the lion in Lear and his raging battle between his age and failing mind. What makes him so fascinating and exciting are his tremendous extremes of temperment. He fights an epic and and magnificent struggle against overwhelming physical and emotional turmoil and his implacable refusal to surrender make him one of the greatest, most towering and passionate tragic characters ever created. This is why Lear is both a tragic and yet an uplifting experience.

Cross-posted to E-Notes

January 15, 2010

An End to the Myth of the Tortured Soul??

Overall a well written and intelligent article. However there are several errors. "His best paintings were produced in the last 15 months of his life which he spent in Arles where he went to live in 1888...and at nearby St. Remy where he spent a year at a mental institution." He spent 15 months in Arles (2/88 to 5/89) where he did indeed produce most of his best paintings, but the last 15 months of his life was spent at St.Remy (12 months) and Auvers sur Oise, (2 1/2 months.) Vincent did some excellent work at St. Remy and nothing exceptional at Auvers, so he did not produce his best work in his final 15 months. "Italian art didn't get a look-in." Not true. He referred several times to Raphael and several others whom he didn't care for, primarily because he found their work rather cold and because they were totally unable to depict workers who really worked. However, he absolutely adored Michaelangelo, because his figures depicted, not reality, but hyper reality.

Regarding Theo's support of Vincent, I agree that Vincent would never have been able to achieve what he did without his support. However, Vincent and Theo came to an agreement in 1882 whereby Theo would send Vincent money and in return he would get to keep all of Vincent's work and and do with it what he pleased. Certainly this was not a handout but reasonable recompense. Finally, the title of this article is totally misleading since there is nothing in it that indicates that Van Gogh was not a tortured soul.

January 07, 2010

Getting Away with Torture

David Cole does a superb job documenting the horror the United States government perpetrated upon an entirely innocent civilian in the name of the "war of terror."

January 01, 2010

Robert Barnete Studio

If you are not already familiar with his artistry, then I am very proud and honored to introduce you to my late brother's work.











Robert Barnete was most of all a painter of passionate motion, which found its greatest expression in the equestrian arts and within the culture of Spain.
During his mid-career he fell under the enchantment of the Bedouin and the Blue People.



Although born in New York, his work took him from Mexico to Paris to Madrid to Tangiers and finally to London.





November 19, 2009

Van Gogh in Taiwan


I'm very pleased to note that my last film, The Eyes of Van Gogh, has been picked up for distribution in Taiwan by International Productions Association Asia. The film will also be seen at the Taipei exhibition "Van Gogh: the Flaming Soul" for its three-month run. This exhibition will display an overall of 98 pieces of artworks by Van Gogh, including 77 sketches and 21 oil paintings. Most of the exhibits are from the Kroller Muller Museum of Netherlands, famed for its collections of Van Gogh's paintings. In particular, "Flower Vase with Thistles," Van Gogh's later period creation, is borrowed from Pola Museum of Art in Japan this time.

November 02, 2009

An artist making art

As the author of both the stage play "Stranger on the Earth" as well as the writer/director of the film "The Eyes of Van Gogh" I made extensive use of these extraordinary documents. Vincent's letters are profound, brilliant and fascinating, offering keen insights into the world in which he lived as well as laying bare his soul. Although this new volume is beautiful, the original English translation issued many years ago serves the purpose just as well at a lesser cost, so there is no excuse not to explore them. Almost as remarkable is the story of how they came to be saved, translated and published through the efforts of his sister-in-law, a woman for the ages. For more information please visit www.theeyesofvangogh.com.

October 17, 2009

Polanski's Supporters

I am both independent and progressive in my thinking and I applaud your article in the Weekly standard on that sleaze bag, Roman Polanski. He and his fellow sleaze bags in Hollywood are one big reason why I've never wanted to be part of the culture [I use the word loosely] that these people represent. The garbage that these people produce is only matched by the quality of those who produce it. The tactic of making the victim the guilty party, [13 no less] is typical and beneath contempt. I keep thinking if the victim had been the daughter of one of Polanski's supporters they would feel quite differently, but frankly I have my doubts. Since the enslavement and brutalization of women is one of the greatest problems in the world today, the overt support in the celebrity community for this miserable creep, Polanski, is despicable and inexcusable. Thank you for a most excellent article. Cross Posted to The Weekly Standard

September 24, 2009

September 22, 2009

Letters of Vincent van Gogh

In this article, the author Waldemar Januszczak is certainly correct when he refers to van Gogh's letters as "the greatest cache of writing about art left behind by any artist".
For more information go here.

September 04, 2009

Gauguin and van Gogh in Arles

Director’s Notes

In my film The Eyes of van Gogh, Paul Gauguin’s arrival at the Yellow House in Arles is the happiest day in Vincent van Gogh’s life. He will now be able to work with the man who, among living artists, he regards with the highest respect and esteem. He’ll have a friend and companion in art. From this will come his greatest dream: the realization of the School of the South. From this day forth, he believes, everything he’s dreamt of is possible.

To prepare for Gauguin’s arrival, Vincent has been working day and night with little sleep or food. He’s determined to show Gauguin as much good work as possible. All of Vincent’s hyperactivity and nervousness are focused completely on Gauguin. He and what he represents to Vincent are the emotional center of the scene. In his overwhelming excitement and eagerness he cuts off thoughts in mid-sentence and then jumps to a different thought entirely.

September 02, 2009

Aural Hallucinations in the film The Eyes of Van Gogh


In my film The Eyes of Van Gogh, the audience first becomes aware that Vincent van Gogh is hearing voices when Dr. Peyron, played by Roy Thinnes escorts him to his room in the insane asylum at St. Remy.
Vincent absorbs the atmosphere of the room like a sponge. He finds it desolate. He can feel it, taste it - almost hear it. When he hears the voices of his mother and father he reacts very much as he did at the time as a child. He is, in turn, startled, confused, and ultimately trembling in fear and anticipation.
Those voices began to torment van Gogh the night he threatened Paul Gauguin with a razor and continued after Gauguin left Arles. They are insidious and ugly yet, perversely, irresistible.
Throughout the film, he has no control over them. When they occur he feels transported to another world. Voices and sounds in the present are barely heard. He reacts to them, not retrospectively, but rather in relation to what they meant when they took place. He lives in the moment they occurred and takes the audience with him.

June 15, 2009

Character Analysis: Death of a Salesman

Director's Notes Part Three

It is a sad and frightening truth that Linda, Willy's wife, who is so totally devoted and loyal to him, who is his pillar of strength, who will let no one speak ill of him (no matter how justified it may be), who does everything possible to make his life peaceful and happy, who knows so well how to handle him, who can anticipate almost his every mood and who prides herself on understanding him so well, in actuality knows Willy very little.

She encourages him to stay at a job he is obviously unfit for; she is unaware of his self-esteem crisis and his pie-in-the-sky delusions; she discourages him from starting other pursuits (this because of her ultra-conservative nature); and is completely bewildered by his suicide, despite the clues that are dropped everywhere.

Her fundamental decency, integrity, loyalty and love are remarkable and unquestionable, but it must be realized that she unwittingly feeds Willy’s problem. The love and devotion she gives him, however, are truly a wonder. Tragically, Willy never understands the depth of her commitment.

Fundamentally, Biff is decent, gentle and sensitive. He is extremely stubborn, with a strong independent streak. Right to the very end it is love, not hatred, that drives the relationship between Biff and Willy. Biff hates Willy for betraying his mother, but still loves him deeply for the love and affection Willy lavished on him. He is furious with himself for being unable to remove what he considers this yoke of love, and this exacerbates his antagonism toward Willy.

It is said that Biff’s life is ruined after discovering that Willy is a philanderer. Certainly, it is a tremendous setback, but there are other factors at work here. His innate nature plus his prior experiences and conditioning are of major importance. It is not the discovery of the event itself that causes Biff to give up and leaves him unable to cope with the experience.

Memory and Flashback Scenes in Death of a Salesman

Part Two of Director's Notes

In all of the memory scenes Willy, unlike the other characters, never actually leaves the present, but re-experiences the past. In effect, he revisits the pivotal moments in his life and tries to make sense of them. Subconsciously, however, he already knows what has and what will happen.

Example: In Act ll when he is in the hotel room with the woman and hears the knocking, he knows that if he opens the door it will be disastrous, but is so lost in the memory he cannot comprehend why. The memory scenes are subjective and emotional; a pure visualization of Willy’s feelings and thoughts. Thus, they are fragmented, elliptical and epitomized. He will sometimes remember four or five separate events within one sequence.

The set must be light, minimal and portable. There should be as much free and open space as possible. The confines of the home should be created primarily by the lights, not by actual, permanent walls. We should be able to expand and retract easily and naturally. When his brother Ben enters, for example, we must go from the confines of the kitchen to the open space of Alaska, Africa and the prairies.

Rarely will there be a blackout. Lights will frequently overlap or cross-fade. The action must never stop. Willy’s mind is on a collision course and the lights must reflect this. The set and lights must serve Willy’s mind, which is constantly changing, striving, searching.

There can come a point in a man’s life when it is too late. After this point is reached the truth, and not delusion, becomes the killer. Contrary to most opinion, Willy does achieve self-awareness, and this very awareness is something he is unable to come to terms with. He cannot live with the reality and so hangs on to the delusion and dies with it.

Death of a Salesman is a tragedy of the first order. Consider: a theme of epic importance; the strength, immensity and uncompromising nature of Willy’s struggle; his fatal flaw; his intensity, passion, love, devotion and total single-mindedness; his ultimate destruction; Biff’s ultimate self-awareness. And finally, the fact that true tragedy must have the potential for creating self-awareness in the audience. From this will follow a purging of the soul. Death of a Salesman most definitely creates this self-awareness.

Death of a Salesman: Director’s Notes

Thematic Content and Structure

This is not the story of a salesman: It is the story of Willy Loman who just happened to be a salesman. This is not the story of Everyman. Willy’s passion, love and drive go way beyond the norm. Perhaps most people will relate to Willy, be moved by him and, most importantly, think, contemplate and learn from his life and his mistakes.
Willy, like Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, demands to be “totally known”. Like Eddie, he could never settle for half. He must attempt everything even if it means ending up with nothing. He will risk his very life to achieve his “due”, what he considers his rightful status. As Arthur Miller says, “The commonest of men may take on that [tragic stature] to the extent of his willingness to throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful place in the world”. Of course, this willingness automatically removes him from being the commonest of men.

Self-esteem based upon the approval of others is evanescent and leads to self-delusion and self-destruction. This, to me, is the primary theme of Death of a Salesman. All of Willy’s other problems--his lack of self-knowledge, his refusal to follow his natural instincts, his constant self-doubt, confusion and lack of confidence (no sooner does he make a decision then he needs to be reassured that it’s the right one), his stubborn, pigheaded determination to do things his own way, positive that he’s right and yet in the next moment afraid that he’s wrong, begging for another opinion, the very bad influence he is on his sons--all of this stems from the primary theme.

Having achieved his self-esteem through the approval of others, Willy has watched these ‘approvers’ go to their graves and take his self-esteem with them. As the play progresses, it becomes more and more difficult for Willy to lie and delude himself. One after another, all the myths he has created in the past are exposed before his eyes. There is no self-pity, only frustration, bewilderment and epic struggle. The more he struggles the faster his decline. Subconsciously, Willy knows where he went wrong, but consciously is unable to come to terms with it. The constant and horrendous turmoil Willy endures is based upon his subconscious awareness and conscious refutation.

Both Biff and Happy, his sons, are confused, but Biff is desperately searching for answers; Happy is under the delusion that he is searching, but in many ways has found his niche. Like most womanizers, he’s mindless and self-gratifying. In no way is Hap a young Willy as has sometimes been stated. He lacks the love, passion and depth. Hap is puerile where Biff is undisciplined. Biff, being deeper and more sensitive than Happy, suffers more from Willy’s influence.